Party leader asks Koh Samui folk: Where do you want another airport or how about a bridge?

 

Picture: Siam Rath

 

New Palang Dharma party leader Dr Rawee Maschmadol is pressing ahead with plans to help people on Koh Samui revive the flagging tourism sector on the holiday island.

 

He went on his personal Facebook page to tell the locals of the latest in his request for a new airport that was made in parliament earlier this month.

 

He wants to hear from the locals as to what they want:

 

1. A new second airport on the island itself

2. An airport built on the mainland at Don Sak or

3. A bridge connecting the mainland to the island.

 

Dr Rawee wants to see an airport built on the island that would be an alternative to the one there built by Bangkok Airways. They charge a lot for tickets and many have called it a monopoly.

 

Representations have already been made from seven sub-district on Koh Samui.

 

He said that he wants to see a second airport starting to be built as early as next year. He expects the matter to be formally debated in parliament in about 6 months time.

 

In the meantime, he is set to meet the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and the Minister for Transport Saksayam Chidchob towards the end of this month to take the matter further, he said.

 

Source: Siam Rath

 

 

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23 minutes ago, webfact said:

1. A new second airport on the island itself

2. An airport built on the mainland at Don Sak or

3. A bridge connecting the mainland to the island.

Damn it, let's have them all!

A new second airport on the island itself, or near Don Sak. Definitely. With no involvement of the BA mafia or Thai air. Discount airlines only. it is so long overdue. The bridge is silly. The average bridge over water costs $60-80 million per kilometer. Who is going to pay for that? 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

They charge a lot for tickets and many have called it a monopoly.

They do.  They are.  Was always disgusted by ticket prices.  Most people I know do not fly direct.   I was put off years ago.  Have never been to this day.

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

A new second airport on the island itself, or near Don Sak. Definitely. With no involvement of the BA mafia or Thai air. Discount airlines only. it is so long overdue. The bridge is silly. The average bridge over water costs $60-80 million per kilometer. Who is going to pay for that? 

CP then charge a Toll ?

Speed boats. Many speed boats.

10 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Speed boats. Many speed boats.

why not the new submarines if they arrive.

How about neither?

 

For fuch's sake grow a pair! Just revoke BA's monopoly and give it to to the DCA.

Samui does not need any of these stupid ideas ... but solving the garbage problem or building a proper road would be nice. Also there is not enough water or electricity for the Island.

 

... but all these "simple" issues don't make headlines.

BS propaganda ... and TV posters fall for it all the time .... somehow funny

17 hours ago, Grusa said:

For fuch's sake grow a pair! Just revoke BA's monopoly and give it to to the DCA.

Compulsory purchase order....instant solution.

Samui already has too much road traffic... a bridge would just be an expensive car park (parking lot). If you're going to spend tens of billions of US Dollars of taxpayer /borrowed money,  why not help the eight percent of the Thai population who live below the poverty line? If you really want to invest it in tourism, then put it into conservation, and stop people clearing all the trees on Samui hillsides. That has longer-term benefits (for locals and tourists, alike) after a few rainy seasons.

 

But, of course, I agree with the comments about ceasing the monopoly on the existing airport. It has been open since 1989. Since then, the owners must have paid back their investors several times over.

Introducing budget airlines, for internal flights,  might not be catastrophic for the existing incumbents, if they can step up to the mark, and focus on their existing international routes from Samui. Admittedly, open competition on all routes should be the ultimate goal. 

 

Other than that, there's always the option of borrowing Uncle's submarine!!

Edited February 19, 20206 yr by Digby Strong
Ending with a little frivolity

Perhaps Hoteliers should just bring their prices down to normal levels and stop building more hotels when they can't fill the ones they've got. 

A bridge will only fill the already congested roads with more traffic, not tourists. 

Entitled local residents get discounted fares from BA. 

Build the airport at Donsak and keep the ferry workers in a job. 

On 2/18/2020 at 2:40 PM, spidermike007 said:

A new second airport on the island itself, or near Don Sak. Definitely. With no involvement of the BA mafia or Thai air. Discount airlines only. it is so long overdue. The bridge is silly. The average bridge over water costs $60-80 million per kilometer. Who is going to pay for that? 

mate you left Samui, you hate everything about Samui so why would you have to voice your opinion on this. You are gone, it does not impact you, enjoy life and spare us your bitterness

1 hour ago, huberthammer said:

mate you left Samui, you hate everything about Samui so why would you have to voice your opinion on this. You are gone, it does not impact you, enjoy life and spare us your bitterness

 

Please. Get a life. I still enjoy my visits to samui, but yes i am thrilled to have escaped. You do not want to hear my opinions, do not read them. We all have the ability to express them here. No bitterness here. Just joy and fulfillment on a daily basis.

19 hours ago, Digby Strong said:

Samui already has too much road traffic... a bridge would just be an expensive car park (parking lot). If you're going to spend tens of billions of US Dollars of taxpayer /borrowed money,  why not help the eight percent of the Thai population who live below the poverty line? If you really want to invest it in tourism, then put it into conservation, and stop people clearing all the trees on Samui hillsides. That has longer-term benefits (for locals and tourists, alike) after a few rainy seasons.

 

But, of course, I agree with the comments about ceasing the monopoly on the existing airport. It has been open since 1989. Since then, the owners must have paid back their investors several times over.

Introducing budget airlines, for internal flights,  might not be catastrophic for the existing incumbents, if they can step up to the mark, and focus on their existing international routes from Samui. Admittedly, open competition on all routes should be the ultimate goal. 

 

Other than that, there's always the option of borrowing Uncle's submarine!!

I think there must be some pretty powerful investors in Samui Airport that will fight any attempts to reduce any returns on their investment.

On 2/18/2020 at 2:40 AM, spidermike007 said:

A new second airport on the island itself, or near Don Sak. Definitely. With no involvement of the BA mafia or Thai air. Discount airlines only. it is so long overdue. The bridge is silly. The average bridge over water costs $60-80 million per kilometer. Who is going to pay for that? 

Which discount airlines are going to put up  1 billion baht or more and not  expect a sweetheart deal like the one now in place? And btw, which discount airlines have the money to pay for an airport?  

45 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

Which discount airlines are going to put up  1 billion baht or more and not  expect a sweetheart deal like the one now in place? And btw, which discount airlines have the money to pay for an airport?  

Did the discount airlines put up the money for the airport in Phuket, Pattaya, Surat Thani, or Krabi? No. That is the responsibility of the state, to promote tourism. The BA monopoly deal was a super corrupt deal, done a long time ago. The world is a different place. One would hope Thailand is capable of evolving along with it. 

I think the chances of another airport on the island are just about ZERO....they've been talking about it for about 15 years.

Bridge? An open road allowing all that extra traffic on the island and putting the ferries out of business? Unlikely, ill thought out and impractical.

Airport at DonSak ....where will they stick it? It seems the only possible solution .... but at best only a partial one....would require a total revamp of the ferry services. High speed cats?

 

In the end it really can only be resolved by the removal of Bangkok Air's stranglehold/monopoly...... something the government seems too weak to do. Even in America this situation would incur government intervention.

Break up the airway and the airport which would allow competition and force BA to have to compete with other airlines to land there

Edited February 25, 20206 yr by Airbagwill

We need teleportation, easiest and fastest. Hit it! 

I don't have any issues with Bangkok Airways keeping their fares higher. If you can't afford it, choose another option or fly somewhere else - you have plenty of options. Koh Samui isn't a backpacker destination anymore. Besides, for anyone who lives here or owns a condo you can retrieve a Samui Residence Card from Bangkok airways and you get a fixed price to Bangkok & Pattaya. 

 

We don't need another airport on the island, nor a bridge or an airport closer to Don Sak. I hope Bangkok Airways will lobby hard to avoid any move by these politicians who think they can revive tourism by kickstarting another project just so they can get a piece of the pie - for how stupid can one be to come up with an idea to erect yet another airport on a small island. The amount of toxic waste and pollution will drive people away. Besides, the amount of noise from two airports I can't imagine!

 

Here's a quick fix to resolve much of the thai tourism: 

1) Make the baht cheaper.

2) Invest in solid infrastructure and make the roads and pavements safer.

3) Get rid of the taxi monopoly maffia (instead of complaining about Bangkok Airways)

4) Build a new marketing strategy from the bottom up, adjust for family and couple destination instead of the single mans go-go hub. 

 

Last notes,

Just our of curiosity, people might as well not visit thailand for a simple reason: it's not that attractive anymore.

second airport -> noise pollution

bridge -> definitely turns a tropical "paradise" island destination to a convenient suburban city